[OS X TeX] PlainTeX Macro to Define Macros in Uppercase

[David Watson]

On Jan 4, 2009, at 6:47 PM, David Watson wrote:

> On Jan 4, 2009, at 6:06 PM, Brad & Angie wrote:
>
>> I wrote an interesting macro to create some macros for me.
>> Essentially, \setupMCitems{abcde} creates the following macros.
>>
>> \xa = \noindent\hbox to \wdx{(\hfil a\hfil)}
>> \xb = \noindent\hbox to \wdx{(\hfil b\hfil)}
>> \xc = \noindent\hbox to \wdx{(\hfil c\hfil)}
>> \xd = \noindent\hbox to \wdx{(\hfil d\hfil)}
>> \xe = \noindent\hbox to \wdx{(\hfil e\hfil)}
>>
>> in order to easily create (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) all with the same  
>> width.
>>
>> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
>> % \setupMCitems{arg}
>> %  setup multiple choice item macros for each token in arg
>> %  create a macro \x<token> to typeset (token)
>> %  set \wdx to the width of (token)
>>
>> 1.  \newdimen\wdx
>> 2.  \def\setupMCitems#1{\findwidest\/#1\end \createMCdefs\/#1\end}
>>
>> 3.  \def\findwidest#1{\ifx#1\end \let\next=\relax \else \let\next= 
>> \findwidest
>> 4.  	\ifx#1\/ \dimen0=0pt \else \setbox0=\hbox{#1}
>> 5.  	\ifdim\wd0>\dimen0 \dimen0=\wd0 \fi \fi \fi \next}
>>
>> 6.  \def\createMCdefs#1{\ifx#1\end \let\next=\relax \else \let\next= 
>> \createMCdefs
>> 7.  	\ifx#1\/ \setbox0=\hbox{(\hbox to\dimen0{\hfil})} \global\wdx= 
>> \wd0 \else
>> 8.  	\expandafter\gdef\csname x#1\endcsname{\noindent\hbox to 
>> \wdx{(\hfil#1\hfil)}}
>> 9.  	\fi \fi \next}
>> 	
>> 10.  \setupMCitems{abcde}
>> %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
>>
>> My problem is that I would like the definitions to be \xA, \xB,  
>> etc. in uppercase.
>> I need to change #1 on line#8 to uppercase, but
>> I can't figure out how to change to uppercase inside a \csname 
>> \endcsname.
>>
>> Here is a simple example:
>>
>> \def\brad{brad dallas}
>> \def\BRAD{BRAD DALLAS}
>> My name is \csname brad\endcsname
>> My name is \csname\uppercase{brad}\endcsname
>>
>> The first produces brad dallas, while the second line raises an  
>> error.
>> Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>> Yours,
>> Brad.
>
> You would get a lot more help if you were to copy the error message  
> from your log and paste it into your message.
> Oh yes, and include a minimal example including your documentclass,  
> extra packages needed, etc.
>

Sorry, I see you are using Plain TeX; so, is the source you provided  
the >entire< source?

> Otherwise we have to typeset what you have given us, and make  
> certain assumptions about your setup; the error messages we get may  
> not be helpful at all.